Matt Scherer (November 21, 1983 – December 2021) was an American

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...

athlete and a top professional

pacemaker An artificial cardiac pacemaker (or artificial pacemaker, so as not to be confused with the natural cardiac pacemaker) or pacemaker is a medical device that generates electrical impulses delivered by electrodes to the chambers of the heart ei ...

High school career

Scherer competed for Red Hill High School in

Bridgeport, Illinois Bridgeport is a city in Lawrence County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,886 at the 2010 census. History Bridgeport was established in the mid-1850s as a stop along the Ohio and Mississippi Railway. It was named by a railroad of ...

, from 1999 through 2002. His senior year he scored 28 individual points at the Illinois High School Association State Championship meet, which placed his school 3rd in the team standings.

College career

Scherer attended the

University of Oregon The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...

from 2003 to 2006 where he studied Business and was a 9-time All-American. In 2005 he ran the anchor leg of the 3rd place

4x400m relay Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case ...

team at the NCAA Championship meet, finishing in a time of 3:00.81 which was ranked #7 all-time in

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges and ...

Championship Meet History. He won the Pac-10 championship in the 400m in 2006 in 45.19.

Professional career

Oregon Track Club The Oregon Track Club (OTC) is an American running organization based in Eugene, Oregon. History Emerald Empire Athletic Association Formed by Bill Bowerman, the Emerald Empire Athletic Association (EEAA) was the predecessor to the Oregon Track C ...

Ran the 400 meter leg of the American Record setting indoor

distance medley relay The distance medley relay (DMR) is an athletic event in which four athletes compete as part of a relay. With its inclusion in the IAAF World Relays program, the IAAF announced on May 1, 2015 that the event would be an official world record event. U ...

on February 12, 2010. Ran 1:14.41 in the 600m on June 15, 2008, the 8th fastest time ever run

Personal life

It was announced on December 8, 2021, that Scherer died that week, at the age of 38, as per a statement by RunnerSpace where he worked as the Chief Operating Officer.

Pacing career

Began pacing full-time in 2011 and paced for many of the top 800m and 1500m runners in the world.
This table lists the records he paced:

Personal bests

* 200m - 20.89 - 5/13/2006 * 300m - 32.77 - 8/8/2006 * 400m - 45.19 - 5/14/2006 * 400m Hurdles - 53.21 - 2003 * 600m - 1:14.41 - 6/15/2008 * 800m - 1:46.11 - 6/8/2008

References

External links

Official website

docs.google.com
- Extensive statistical spreadsheet on races paced by Matt Scherer {{DEFAULTSORT:Scherer, Matt 1983 births 2021 deaths Oregon Ducks men's track and field athletes American male middle-distance runners People from Lawrence County, Illinois Sportspeople from Illinois Pacemakers